A Silent Night In Belgravia
by Little Box Of Secrets
Summary: Sequel to "Preparing for the Silence" It was their first Christmas together; family, food and presents that probably should have had a second thought. But what Christmas would be complete with the drama and at 221B Baker Street, drama meant a lot more than usual.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**

**Sequel to "Preparing for the Silence"**

**It was their first Christmas together; family, food and presents that probably should have had a second thought. But what Christmas would be complete with the drama and at 221B Baker Street, drama meant a lot more than usual.**

**Silence In Belgravia**

**The Silent Morning**

Rose Spencer opened her eyes that frosty morning to Christmas. Rolling over, wide awake, she saw it was 6:35 am. _Typical_, she thought_, old habits die hard I suppose_. She had always been awake before seven on Christmas; even after her brothers left and she decided she didn't like the cold holiday anymore.

A smile sprung into life though; this Christmas, she'd be with her brothers again.

Throwing the covers off her, she quickly put her music on, deciding Bastille's "_Pompeii_" would do to start her morning. It wasn't Christmassy, but it made her smile, thinking about when she was younger.

"But if you close your eyes…" She sang along at the top of her lungs, not caring about the time of morning. "Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?"

Grin on her face, she jumped in the shower - still singing loudly - getting dressed quickly after, leaving her hair to dry naturally, the lack of a hair dryer making the long locks very wavy and wild. Again, she didn't care.

It had been several weeks since her meeting with Mycroft, having put the eyes and ears in place a few days after. She was on edge for a while, wondering if Sherlock had noticed anything different or had found the cameras she had hidden around the flat and the lab, but if he had found anything, the Consulting Detective didn't mention it, nor had the older Holmes told her of any cut feeds.

Checking the time as she turned off her music, she saw it was five minutes to seven. Shrugging at the early hour, she picked up the pile of presents on top of her dresser and went to take them upstairs to the living room.

A week or so ago, she had gone to see Mrs Hudson, asking if she had any spare Christmas decorations. The landlady had just given her a big smile and said she'd see if she could find anything left. That afternoon, after coming in from Christmas shopping for everyone - condensed into one, well thought out trip - she found the flat empty of people, with three large boxes of decorations in the living room.

Putting the presents and wrapping paper away for later, she immediately set about the small flat, decorating it completely; she even found a small Santa's hat, thinking it would be best placed in the skull.

When the two men had come home, she was back in her room, wrapping the gifts. While Sherlock didn't mention it - apparently ignoring the seasonal additions to the flat, though shot frequent glares at the skull - John had complimented her on a job well done. The ex-army doctor had not really got into the spirit of Christmas - usually spending it away overseas where the only decoration was a single, dusty, cut out paper snowflake that they'd barely had time to make - but soon found the spirit of the younger woman and her enthusiasm had him enjoying the holiday more than he had in years.

Flicking the kettle on, Rose set out three mugs for them and started on preparing the Christmas dinner she had planned for them all, her brothers staying for lunch as well.

It wasn't long before John and Sherlock came down in their pyjamas to find a very happy young woman as relaxed as they'd seen her in weeks; large baggy jumper with the sleeves pushed up out the way, jeans, socks sliding on the floor, manic hair flying around her with a life of it's own, even when she stood still, dancing around the kitchen with many pots, pans and a large turkey just going into the oven.

"Merry Christmas!" She greeted, turning to them with a big grin on her face, blue eyes twilling with glee.

John just chuckled at her, happy she was happy. "Merry Christmas, Rose."

"Merry Christmas…" Sherlock replied, sounding unusually unsure of himself, not used to celebrating the annual holiday. He just got a blinding smile and a wink before being handed a cup of coffee from the happy woman, John getting the same.

John just laughed at him, going to sit in the living room but finding a small parcel on his usual chair. Looking to the kitchen to find Rose's back was turned, he quickly read the name tag, finding his own name scrawled inside. Looking up, he saw there was another on the desk in the same wrapping paper and four more tucked beside the sofa.

"Go ahead." Rose said from the kitchen, hearing their silence. Throwing a tea towel over her shoulder, she leant against the kitchen doorway, smiling at John who still hadn't moved. "Go on!"

Smiling back to her, he picked up the parcel and sat on the chair while Sherlock went to the desk and sat in front of his own wrapped box, peering at it suspiciously, trying to guess what it was.

Pulling off the tape, John unfolded the paper to find two books. Smiling at the new reading material, he peered at the titles.

_Kill as Few Patients as Possible_

_The Curious Cures of Old England_

Laughing at the strange titles, he looked to his good friend. "Thanks, Rose."

"No problem." She replied, happy that she'd done alright by the books. She knew John liked to read and had thought the funny doctor-humour would suit him. Looking to Sherlock, she saw he was still looking at the box. Rolling her eyes, she just said lightly, "It's not a bomb, Sherlock." This seemed to disappoint him slightly though. She rolled her eyes. "Just open it!"

Picking it up, he froze for a second before frowning deeper, Rose just smiling in response. He gave the box a little shake before putting it back on the desk and looking at Rose with a dry expression on his sharp features. "It's empty…"

"Yes, it is." She replied, still smiling, earning her a glare from Sherlock and a funny look from John.

"So why did you wrap it?" The detective asked.

"Why not?" She replied with a laugh. "Joe's bringing it with him later."

Sherlock just sat there watching her, glaring lightly; _what could it be? _His mind was going into overdrive trying to figure out the puzzle, but it couldn't come up with any reasonable solutions as to what the unpredictable woman would get him for Christmas.

John just laughed a little. "When's Joe coming?"

"About ten…eleven…ish…" She replied, smirking as she did.

John just laughed louder as Sherlock's glare at the woman turned a little colder; that was at least three hours away, and they both knew Sherlock was not a patient man.

Smiling at her happy doctor friend, Rose went back to preparing the dinner.

A few weeks ago, she had talked to Joe on the phone about presents and he made a joking suggestion as to what she should get her unusual friend. Rose however thought it was a brilliant idea and sent him a cheque so he could pick it up for her and bring it with him when he came down for the chilly holiday. She didn't know whether Sherlock would like it but she was sure he'd find some use out of it one day.

A few hours of their usual morning - Rose happily busy, John reading and Sherlock on the sofa thinking, occasionally glaring at Rose - the door bell rang.

"I'll get it." The young woman said, going to greet her brothers. Opening the door, she saw them both stood there, dressed generally smart, a bag of gifts each, Joe with a slim box stood on its end, taller than them all. She gave them a blinding grin. "Merry Christmas, guys."

Joe just laughed, stepping forward to hug her. "Happy Christmas, little sis."

Releasing her older brother, she gave Zach a quick hug as well getting the same greeting. "Go on up guys, dinner's already cooking."

Zach picked up at the mention of food. "Smells good!"

Following her brothers up the stairs, she saw Sherlock immediately sit up and look at Joe, keen eyes finding the tall parcel in moments. He frowned though, only getting more confused.

Joe, seeing his confusion only said. "I'm sorry Sherlock, it's my fault; apparently she can't take a joke."

Zach went to shake John's hand in greeting. "Hey John."

"Hi." John just smiled back, taking the man's hand, hoping that it would be an argument free day. "Merry Christmas."

"And you, but…" Lowering his voice, Zach spoke quietly to John. "What's in the parcel? Joe wouldn't tell me…"

"No idea…" John replied, looking to the others.

As everyone got settled down again, Rose brought in a tray of drinks for everyone. When everyone had their respective beverage, Rose took the long box and placed it right in front of Sherlock, a loud thud sounding as she did so.

Sherlock frowned at the noise, recognising it vaguely but not really clocking on completely. Taking it from her, Sherlock took the random knife they had on the desk and sliced the sellotape holding the cardboard together. As the wrapping fell away he saw what it was, eyeing his present carefully before blinking, looking to Rose, who was looking rather proud of herself.

John looked from the present, to Sherlock's slowly smiling face to his friend in disbelief. "Why…Rose, why on earth, did you get _Sherlock_ a _harpoon…_?"

"What do you get a mad genius for Christmas?" She asked, lifting a hand to the man in question who was indeed smiling in a slightly psychotic manner. "He seems to like it…"

John just shook his head, knowing it would be useless to try and get rid of the harpoon now. "Well, you're the one who's got to work with him…"

Rose just laughed, going to check on the food.

Zach sat next to his brother on the sofa, eyeing Sherlock warily. "You agreed to buy a _harpoon_… for Rose…to give to _Sherlock_?"

"It was only meant as a joke!" Joe insisted.

Out of nowhere there was a loud bang as Sherlock slammed the end of the harpoon on the floor. Rose dashed back to the room, stopping in the doorway.

Sherlock was stood there, proud as could be, hand on his waist as the other held the harpoon like a trophy, chest puffed out and chin held high as he inspected the metal tip of his Christmas present. "Brilliant!"

With that he picked the harpoon up and took a brisk walk from the room, heading to his bedroom to get dressed - they hoped.

After a second's silence, three heads turned to Rose - who was looking a little shocked - all wearing the same expression; _what have you done?_

"Okay…" She started, looking around them all before landing on John's expression, looking a little sorry. "Maybe it was a bad idea to give Sherlock a harpoon…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Silence In Belgravia**

**The Silent Evening**

It was getting dark on Baker Street, but the small flat of 221B was humming with a merry Christmas atmosphere, soft music playing from the warmly lit flat.

Following the event of the harpoon, the siblings had exchanged gifts - Rose getting a new art kit from Zach and a chunky locket from Joe - after which they all sat down to a large Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Fully stuffed, they sat around and relaxed for a while before predictably Sherlock got bored. Zach - thinking of a normal, typical activity to do on Christmas - suggested they play a board game, to which John and Rose shared a worried look as Sherlock brightened up, immediately suggesting Cluedo.

After a few hours of games - which included only one, badly ending game of Cluedo - Sherlock had decided to sit out a few rounds and check his experiments, while the siblings played on, John deciding to start one of his new books, occasionally smiling at the childish ways of the three siblings.

As the evening rolled in, as did the guests, friends coming to visit for a Christmas drink together. Mrs Hudson had brought a large jug of homemade Eggnog which went down well enough after a glass or two of the wine Lestrade had brought.

Everyone was relaxed - Mrs Hudson a little too relaxed - and happy, Sherlock playing "_We Wish You A Merry Christmas_" on his violin.

"Lovely, Sherlock! That was lovely!" Mrs Hudson complimented as he finished, giving the room a small bow.

"Marvellous." John agreed, bring Sherlock another drink. "That was very good."

Rose just smiled to herself, hiding it in a sip of her drink. She knew John wasn't a fan of Sherlock's playing; it was more that he didn't like the violin than Sherlock's actual playing abilities. He put up with it though, knowing Rose enjoyed the music and that it helped the man think.

"I wish you could have worn the antlers." Mrs Hudson carried on, laughing at the idea, as did Zach and Joe.

Sherlock disagreed though. "Some things really are best left to the imagination, Mrs Hudson." As John's girlfriends went round with a tray of mince pies though, Sherlock declined. "No thank you, Sarah."

"Er, no." John stepped in quickly, making up an excuse they all knew to be a lie. "No, no, no; he's not very good with names."

"No, no, no, I can get this." Sherlock said, trying to fix his mistake. Tapping his bow against his forehead, he thought aloud. "No, Sarah was the doctor, then there was the one with the spots and then the one with the nose…and who was after the boring school teacher?"

Rose just sighed as the poor woman answered him. "Nobody.."

Having found the answer, Sherlock gave her a bright smile. "Jeannette! Ah, process of elimination."

Rose just sighed again as John ushered his girlfriend away again, looking apologetic.

Hearing foot steps coming up the stairs though, they all looked to the door to see Molly Hooper coming up.

"Oh, dear lord…" Sherlock said before she reached them, Rose having a feeling he may say something stupidly _Sherlock_ soon enough.

"Hello everyone." Molly greeted them, several gift bags in each hand. "Sorry, hello. Um, it just said on the door just to come up."

"Hello Molly." Lestrade greeted, John going to take her coat as Rose greeted her with a similar phrase, going to get the woman a drink.

"Everybody's saying hello to each other, how wonderful..." Sherlock muttered, swinging his bow around before going to sit at the desk.

"Let me…" John started, offering to take Molly's coat, but seeing her dress quickly changed to, "Holy Mary…!" earning him a dirty look from Jeanette as the others gave a similar response to the low cut, figure hugging black dress, silver top and straps matching her hooped earrings.

"So we're having a Christmas drinkies, then?" Molly asked.

Rose nudged Lestrade as she went past with Molly's drink. "Close your mouth, Greg…" She muttered with a smirk, getting a slight blush out of the man.

"No stopping them, apparently." Sherlock replied, not seeing the lingering eyes of the young mortician.

"It's the one day of the year the boys have to be nice to me, so it's almost worth it." Mrs Hudson answered her, toothy grin in place on her merry face.

"John." Sherlock called, the man going to see what he wanted. "The counter on your blog, it still says 1,895."

"Oh, no!" John answered sarcastically. "Christmas is cancelled!"

Sherlock was soon distracted though, as always. "And you've got a photograph of me wearing that hat!"

Rose snorted a laugh as John simply replied. "People like the hat."

"No, they don't." Sherlock argued immediately before changing his reply. "What people?"

"How's the hip?" Molly asked the landlady.

Mrs Hudson just pulled a face slightly at the topic. "Oh, it's atrocious, but thanks for asking."

"I've seen much worse." Molly replied, attempting a joke. "But then I do post-mortems."

There was a seconds silence as the room frowned slightly, wondering how to take the joke. Sensing the awkwardness, she started apologising straight away. "Oh, god, sorry…"

"Don't make jokes Molly." Sherlock dismissed, giving her a slightly confused look.

Molly just looked embarrassed. "No, sorry…"

Taking a sip from her drink, Molly tried to socialise again, turning to a safer target; Lestrade. "I thought you were going to be in Dorset for Christmas?"

"That's first thing in the morning." He replied, explaining with a slightly strained smile. "Me and the wife, we're back together. It's all sorted."

"No," Sherlock corrected from his desk. "She's sleeping with the PE teacher."

_Here we go… "_Sherlock." Rose warned quietly as Lestrade tried to ignore the man's words.

Laughing slightly, Molly tried once again. "And John, I hear you're off to your sister's, is that right? Sherlock was complaining." But after a quick subtle glare from Sherlock, she corrected herself. "Saying…"

"Yeah." John confirmed, letting a little pride slip into his tone. "First time ever, she's cleaned up her act; she's off the booze."

Rose smiled for John, however felt it slip at Sherlock's second correction.

"Nope."

John was less inclined to let him get away with it though. "Shut up, Sherlock." He snapped back, though there was no malice or anger in his words, just a slight lack of patience.

Sherlock spoke up then. "I see you've got a new boyfriend Molly, and you're serious about him."

"What?" Molly asked, confused at his words. "Sorry, what?"

"In fact, you're seeing him this very night and giving him a gift." Sherlock pointed out, turning to face them all.

"Take a day off." John advised tiredly, hoping the conversation wasn't going the way he suspected.

Lestrade also had advise for the deducing man. "Shut up and have a drink."

"Oh come on." Sherlock went on. "Surely you've all seen the present on the top of the bag. Perfectly wrapped with a bow." He stood up, going over to take the present from the pile. "All the others are slapdash at best. It's for someone special then."

Rose, seeing the poor woman start to worry a little more at the sight of the small red box tried to intervene. "Sherlock..." She warned lowly, though as always, was ignored.

"The shade of red echoes her lipstick; either an unconscious association or one she's deliberately trying t encourage." Sherlock reasoned. "Either way, Miss Hooper has love on her mind. The fact that she's serious about him is clear from the fact that she's giving him a gift at all."

John looked at Molly then, truly looked at her and the penny dropped in his mind. _Oh god… _Looking to Rose he knew she had already worked it out but with Sherlock's speedy deductions, he didn't know what to say to stop him in time.

Sherlock meanwhile was carrying on with no idea of what he was walking into. "That always suggests long term hopes, however forlorn, and that she's seeing him tonight is evident from her makeup and what she's wearing. Obviously trying to compensate for the size of her mouth and breasts…"

Having opened the name tag to finally find out who the gift was for, he internally swore at the neat handwriting on the inside of the card.

_Dearest Sherlock_

_Love Molly xxx_

The room was silent as everyone felt sorry for the poor woman; even Joe and Zach who hadn't even known her for five minutes felt bad for her. Sherlock cast his eyes anywhere but the people in the room, trying to find some solution to another one of his social errors.

Molly was the first to break the awkward silence. "You always say such horrible things…" She said quietly, trying to smile and laugh it off, but just ended up sounding sad. "Every time, always. Always…"

Swallowing the odd lump in his throat, Sherlock went to turn away from them before deciding against it. Standing in front of her again, he kept his eyes downward as he apologised. "I am sorry. Forgive me."

John frowned at the words, not believing that the man had even said them. Looking at Rose, he saw the same confusion in her eyes as she watched the two in the centre of the room. Looking back, John just caught Sherlock's movement as he leant forward towards the embarrassed woman.

"Merry Christmas, Molly Hooper." He said to her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

The room was shocked into silence at the oddly human moment; if they hadn't seen it themselves, none of them would have believed it. The silence was soon broken though.

_Uhh…_

Freaking out slightly, Molly tried to defend herself while the others looked puzzled, though John and Rose knew the source of the noise. "Oh, no! That wasn't…I didn't…"

"No." Sherlock assured her. "It was me."

"My god!" Lestrade voiced, shocked at his words. "Really?!"

Sherlock gave him a dirty look though. "My phone."

Lestrade just looked relieved, the awkwardness of the room broken once again as Molly went to take a large gulp from her glass.

"Fifty…seven?" John said, the number becoming a question.

"What?" Sherlock asked, checking his phone before going to the mantle place.

"Fifty seven of those texts." John elaborated. "Well, of the ones I've heard."

"Thrilling that you've been counting." Sherlock replied, mind obviously elsewhere as he picked up a small present; blood red wrapping with a black bow. _The lipstick… _"Excuse me."

"What's up, Sherlock?" Rose asked, wondering what he was thinking.

"I said, excuse me." He repeated, going to his room for some privacy.

"Do you ever reply?" Rose asked with a curious frown. Getting no answer, the young woman turned to John, knowing he'd be more likely to get an answer from the difficult man, flicking her eyes to the kitchen before getting up to get another drink.

Meeting her in the kitchen, John asked, "What's up with him?"

"I don't know." She replied quietly. "Worries me though; think you could check on him a second?"

"Yeh, sure." John agreed, going to do just that as Rose took in the bottle of wine to top up everyone's drinks.

Filling Molly's glass again she said, "I'm so sorry, Molly, you know what he's like…"

"It's fine, really." The young mortician said with a sad smile. She did know what Sherlock was like and, sadly, was very used to him by now.

Trying to cheer her up, Rose smiled. "Have you met my brothers?" Steering the shy woman over to them, Rose introduced them all. "Molly, this is Joe and Zach. Guys, this is Molly Hooper. She's helped us out on some cases before."

"Hi." Molly smiled slightly, wishing for the hundredth time that she was better with people; live ones anyway.

Joe just gave her a flirtatious smile though, kissing the back of her hand. "Hey, how you doin'?" Cue predictable wink.

"Oh, don't start." Zach told his older brother, rolling his eyes. Turning to the slightly pinker woman he said. "Ignore him, he's an idiot."

Molly just chuckled slightly. "That's alright. Joey Tribbiani, right?"

Zach's eyes light up at the mention of one of his favourite shows. "You watch _Friends_?"

"Of course." Molly replied, happy to have something to talk about with the man. "I've got them all on DVD."

"Oh, he wont shut up about it now…" Joe warned her.

Zach just ignored him though. "Do you remember the one with the game show?"

Chuckling to herself, Rose went to put the bottle of wine back in the kitchen. Having put the bottle back in the fridge - hiding most of it's unusual contents from their guests - she saw John come in looking rather puzzled. Catching him before he went back to the living room, she asked, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Sherlock…" John started before shaking himself out of his thoughts. "Sherlock was just on the phone. He said he think's Irene Adler's going to be found tonight."

Rose frowned at his words. "Found, as in…?"

"Dead." He confirmed, voice low and serious.

"Shit…" She whispered, letting out a heavy sigh. "How is he?"

"He's Sherlock." John told her, the words being all the explanation she needed. "All we can do is wait really."

"Hmm…" She nodded. Giving him a firm but friendly pat on the shoulder as well as a reassuring look, she turned back to the guests, a well rehearsed fake smile in place.

Seeing Rose go from concerned friend to happy host in a matter of seconds both amazed and worried John. She was good at playing the part and very good at her job in general, but it concerned him as to how much she could be hiding. If he hadn't just have told her about Sherlock, he would have said that she didn't even know. It made him wonder just how much she actually hid from them.

John just shook his head again, comforting himself with the thought that if he needed to know something she would tell him. Putting his suspicious thoughts about his flatmate to the back of his mind, he followed her lead, joining the get together once more.

It was an hour or so later that Lestrade mentioned heading home. "Got to get back to the wife." He told them, still trying to forget Sherlock's earlier words. Turning to Rose and John he started his goodbyes. "It's been good seeing you guys out of work, should catch up some time, have a drink."

"Yes." John agreed, stepping forward to shake the DI's hand. "Have a bit of _normal_ for once eh?"

Lestrade laughed. "Yeah, normal's good once in a while."

Rose gave him a smile, holding out her hand, expecting the same as John. However froze slightly when Lestrade pulled her in for a hug. Hugging him back - a little awkward at the sudden physical contact - she just gave him a smile. Pulling back, he looked her in the eye and just said, face completely serious. "You really shouldn't have given him a harpoon…"

She let out a small huff, smiling at the man in front of her. "Merry Christmas, Greg."

Laughing, he turned to the room, pulling on his coat. "Merry Christmas everyone."

They all waved at him as he went down the stairs, John seeing him out this time, leaving Rose to look after everyone else for the minute.

"I should probably make a move too." Molly said, looking at the window. "Before the snow gets too deep."

Joe frowned slightly. "Are you walking home?"

"It's only round the corner really, not far." She told him, taking her coat from John as he came back in.

Joe frowned though. "I'll walk with you, if you want. Don't want to be walking in the dark at this time, even if it is Christmas night." Rose and Zach shared a look at their brother's words though, knowing what Joe was like.

"No, I don't want to be a bother…" Molly tried arguing, but was soon cut off.

"I insist." Joe said, grabbing his coat as well. "Really, it's no problem."

Pulling her coat a little tighter around her neck, Molly just smiled. "Thanks."

"See you soon, Molly." Rose said, giving the woman a small hug, knowing the shy woman probably needed one after the glitchy start to the evening.

"Bye everyone!" She called, passing through the door that Joe held open for her before leaving himself, closing the door behind him.

Picking up the few left over glasses, Rose took them to the kitchen only to find Mrs Hudson running a bowl to do the dishes in. Rose quickly stopped her though. "Oh, Mrs Hudson, don't worry about that, I'll do it."

"It's no bother, love." Mrs Hudson replied.

"Hey, come on, now." Rose protested. "You look tired out. Besides, you're our landlady, not our house keeper. Why don't you go get an early night, get some sleep?"

Mrs Hudson just nodded, to tired to push the topic any further. "Alright. Thank you Rose, you are such a lovely young woman. And those brother's of yours are so good too; Joe's such a gentleman."

Rose - hearing Zach's snort from the next room - just smirked. _Gentleman's not the word I'd use but_… "Yeah, he's a special one that one. Go on, I'll bring the jug and things down in the morning."

Mrs Hudson just smiled, still rather merry. "Thank you, lovely. Good night."

"Night." Rose said, waving as she went down the stairs.

Turning to start the dishes, she was interrupted by a voice behind her.

"Can I help?" Zach asked quietly.

Turning to her brother, Rose just smiled. "Sure. You want to wash or dry?"

"Wash." He replied, rolling up his sleeve. "Bet I'll finish before you too."

Laughing, Rose just grabbed a tea towel and set to work clearing the draining board.

Working together, they had the dishes done quickly, clearing the rubbish into a couple of bags.

"Just going to take the rubbish down." Rose told then, discreetly picking up her cigarettes and lighter and winking to John, letting him know she was going for a bit of _fresh air _as well.

While Zach now knew she smoked, she didn't want to start any trouble with him after having such a nice day with both of them. It was a minor inconvenience, but it didn't really bother her; she liked the cold nights, still hoping to see the stars rather than the cloud covered night, rare though it was.

Putting the bags of rubbish in the outside bins, she leant against the wall, making sure that she couldn't be seen from their window, the dark shadows keeping her hidden.

This was why, when the front door opened, and Sherlock came out, looking sullen in his long coat and dark scarf, the sad look on his face making her frown, he didn't even notice her standing off to the side. She just watched in silence as he hailed a cab and climbed in, driving off down the street.

Taking another puff on the white stick, she knew what it meant; Irene Adler had been found.

Sighing a deep breath of smoke, she whispered the same utterance as she had earlier when she first heard the possible news, having it just confirmed by the sad genius leaving their home.

"Shit…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Silence In Belgravia**

**The Woman's Silence**

Meeting his brother outside St Bart's, Sherlock just carried on walking, Mycroft following behind him as they made their way down to the morgue.

Walking into the familiar room, Sherlock saw the body covered in a white sheet. The sight didn't bother him, having been used to the dead more than most people; then again, the woman under the sheet wasn't most people.

"She was the only one that fitted the description." Mycroft informed him as Molly came through another door. "I had her brought here, your home away from home."

Ignoring his brother, Sherlock spoke up. "You didn't need to come in, Molly."

"It's okay." She told them. "Everyone else was busy with…Christmas…Um, the face is a bit bashed up, so it might be a bit difficult." After warning them, she pulled back the white sheet to reveal the woman's bashed face, the features distorted beyond recognition.

Mycroft raised his eyebrows in slight surprise at the state the woman was in, however still thought it was her. Wanting Sherlock to confirm it though, he asked, "That's her, isn't it?"

"Show me the rest of her." Sherlock requested.

Molly only hesitated for a moment before smiling awkwardly and pulling the sheet back to reveal the rest of the dead woman's naked body.

Eyes checking the small details he remembered from their first and last visit, he took one glance and looked up. "That's her."

Mycroft didn't even hesitate for the full second before giving the smaller living woman a small smile. "Thank you, Miss Hooper." Before he could leave though, she called him back.

"Who is she?" Molly asked him, before asking a slightly more awkward question. "How did Sherlock recognise her from…not her face?"

Mycroft just looked away slightly before giving the attached woman a small smile, following his younger brother out the door.

Finding Sherlock out in the hall - lost in thought as he stared out of the snowy window - Mycroft stood behind him, holding up a single cigarette. "Just the one." He allowed.

Sherlock frowned at this; Mycroft didn't agree with his smoking. "Why?"

"Merry Christmas." Was the answer he got, though he could detect a slight sarcasm in the words. _Been talking with Rose too much already._

Taking the small white stick from his brother, he frowned slightly. "Smoking indoors; isn't there one of those…law things?" He asked with distaste.

"We're in a morgue." Mycroft replied, lighting the end of the stick. "There's only so much damage you can do." He waited until the younger man took the first puff, the smoke billowing upwards as he breathed out. "How did you know she was dead?"

"She had an item in her possession, one she said her life depended on." Sherlock explained. "She chose to give it up."

"Where is this item now?" Mycroft asked.

Hearing a noise, Sherlock turned to the set of double doors at the end of the corridor. On the other side was a family; mother, father, daughter. They were crying, obviously having just lost someone they cared about. "Look at them, they all care so much…" Sherlock frowned, thinking aloud his repetitive thoughts. "Do you ever wonder if there's anything wrong with us?"

"All lives end, all hearts are broken." Mycroft replied, trying not to think about a certain woman again - though he'd never admit he failed in that respect. Turning to his little brother, he hoped he hadn't made the same mistake. "Caring is not an advantage, Sherlock."

Sherlock just raised an eyebrow, knowing his brother well, replying in the same tone of voice. "You'd do well to remember that, Mycroft." Taking another drag on the cigarette in his hand, he frowned, nose crinkling in disgust. Looking at the stick in his hand he deduced, "This is low tar."

"Well," Mycroft replied, glad for a change in subject. "You barely knew her."

Sherlock just smirked slightly, huffing a hum as he turned away from the snowing window and away from his brother. Walking down the corridor he spoke up once again before taking another drag, flicking ash on the floor as he went. "Merry Christmas, Mycroft."

Turning to watch his brother, Mycroft replied, "And a happy new year."

As the door shut behind his troubled little brother, Mycroft dialled the number he had texted so frequently. "He's on his way, have you found anything?"

"_No." _She replied. _"Did he take the cigarette?"_

"Yes." He replied, wishing it was a different answer.

"_Shit." _Was the blunt reply he got. He heard as she lowered the phone, talking to someone else. "_He's coming, ten minutes….Well, it looks like he's clean. We've tried all the usual places." _He could practically hear her frown._ "Are you sure tonight's a danger night?"_

"No," He replied honestly. "But then I never am. You have to stay with him, and John."

"_Of course, you know where I stand." _She replied, reminding him of the original reason for their last meeting. Sighing, she just said sadly, "_Merry Christmas, Mycroft_," before hanging up.

Sighing in return, knowing she wouldn't hear him, Mycroft whispered to himself. "Merry Christmas, Rose…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Silence In Belgravia**

**The Silent Night**

Stubbing out her cigarette, Rose went back up to the warmth of the flat and found John just putting the kettle on. Turning to see her taking off her coat, the good doctor quietly asked. "Did he just go out?" She nodded in reply, looking worried. "So that mean's she's…?"

Rose carried on nodding. "Yes, probably."

John frowned. "How was he?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly, trying to wipe the tiredness from her face, echoing his earlier words. "He's Sherlock." She saw John was worried though and frowned in response, wondering what he was thinking. "What's in your head John?"

He sighed heavily, wondering if his thoughts were unfounded. "You don't think tonight's a danger night, do you?"

Rose blanked slightly, the idea not having crossed her mind. Blinking a couple of times she frowned. "I don't know." Was her unhappy answer; it wasn't that she didn't have faith in Sherlock, just that he was so unpredictable. They didn't even know his opinion of The Woman.

"We should check anyway, right?" John asked, also looking unhappy, getting a nod from the woman. He didn't like it any more than she did but would rather a weeks silence from the man than have him fall into bad habits again; it would only make everything a lot harder than it needed to be.

"If I take the kitchen and in here, can you check his room?" She asked, putting together a plan of action before the man himself came home.

John nodded, glad he didn't have to check the kitchen. He was a lot more used to the experiments, but that didn't mean he wanted to go actively looking through their small lab. Before he could go out the door however, she caught his arm lightly, letting go as soon as he'd stopped.

"I think you're forgetting something?" She muttered to him, glancing over to his girlfriend who was talking with Zach. Looking back to Rose, he saw her soft but determined expression that clearly said_, it's Sherlock and tonight he needs a friend._

Sighing, John just nodded, turning back to the woman, quickly thinking about what he could say to explain why he was sending her home on Christmas.

Seeing the awkward position she had put John in, she called over to Zach. "Bro, come and give me a hand with this will you?"

"Sure." He replied, following her into the kitchen.

"Listen, a woman we've worked with was found a few hours ago." She told him quietly, filling him in with the most basic of details; not that they were investigating her, not that she'd had an affair with a royal, not that she was in the sex trade - Zach didn't need to know these things. Still his face dropped at her words, seriousness pinching his eyebrows as she continued. "Sherlock's gone to sort something out, John's sending Jeanette home."

"Yeah, yeah." Zach said, nodding in understanding. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No, it's okay." She assured him. "I've just got to see if I can find something, but I'm going to wait until she leaves first."

Nodding again, Zach waited with his sister in the kitchen. A few minuets later they heard Jeanette raise her voice, the siblings curiosity getting the better of them, trying to hear what was happening.

"I don't have a dog!" She was reminding the doctor.

They heard him sigh. "No, because that was the last one…"

Rose just closed her eyes, hanging her head as Zach brought his palm to his own face. _Nice one, John._

"Jesus!" Jeanette exclaimed and no one could really blame her.

Hearing her footsteps on the stairs, they cautiously come out the kitchen to see John looking after her. "I'll call you."

"No!" Was the loud reply he got.

"Okay…" John answered quietly, hearing the door slam, not really blaming her for that; it was hardly one of his better moments.

"That really wasn't very good, was it?" Rose asked rhetorically, wondering if he was alright.

John just sighed "No. No, it wasn't, was it?"

Rose checked her phone, not really wanting to pull him from his thoughts, but she saw they were running out of time. "We've got about 20 minutes until he gets back, if we're lucky."

Coming back down to earth from his latest failure with a woman, John shook his head. "Right, I'm on it." He told her, getting a nod and a small smile as he went up to Sherlock's bedroom to look for anything that shouldn't be there.

"Make yourself at home Zach." Rose said turning to the kitchen before turning back to him. "But don't go in the fridge. Just let me know if you want anything."

Zach frowned. "Why…?" _She never used to be funny about food_, he thought.

"Because…" She said, trying to find a normal excuse. Thinking on her feet she just finished. "…I don't know what's in there." _True enough_, she thought before setting about her search, hoping Sherlock didn't have too many strange things in their flat.

John came down soon after, setting about the living room as Rose had just cleared the kitchen. Frowning slightly, she heard her phone going off, a call coming through.

Before she could speak, the caller did. _"He's on his way, have you found anything?"_

"No. Did he take the cigarette?" She asked; she knew Mycroft would offer him one, just to see where his mentality for resisting things was at the moment.

She sighed at the answer she got. "_Yes."_

"Shit." She cursed. Ignoring Zach's confused look, she turned to John who had just stopped looking. "He's coming, ten minuets."

"There's nothing in the bedroom." John replied with a small shrug.

"Well, it looks like he's clean." Rose told him, wondering if they were overreacting. "Are you sure tonight's a danger night?"

"_No, but then I never am_." The older Holmes replied. Rose frowned slightly at the man's tired tone. "_You have to stay with him, and John."_

"Of course, you know where I stand." She assured him quietly, reminding him of her worry for the man's brother. She let out a heavy sigh. "Merry Christmas, Mycroft."

Hanging up, she looked to John. "Cuppa?"

He gave a grateful nod as she went to put the kettle on, going to sit in his usual chair.

Zach however went unnoticed throughout the phone call, expression getting more and more confused, his little sister couldn't be talking to who he thought she was…could she?

Deciding to ask her, he followed her into the kitchen. "Rose?"

"Yeah?" She replied, mind still a little preoccupied.

"Who was that on the phone?"

"Oh, just Mycroft." She explained, realising how out of the loop her brother really was. "Sherlock's brother."

He frowned, not liking having his suspicions confirmed. "The one who's stalking you?"

Rose just sighed, hands braced on the counter as she hung her head, too worried, too stressed and just too tired for this particular conversation. "He's not a stalker, he's Sherlock's brother." She repeated, trying to explain. "You really expect his methods to be normal after you've met Sherlock?"

"Bugging your flat?" Zach reminded her. "Practically kidnapping you?"

Rose rounded on her brother. "I have actually been kidnapped, Zach and believe me, a comfy car ride to a secluded spot for a chat and a ride home again is not kidnapping." She took a breath, calming herself. "Look, I don't want to argue, not tonight. Sherlock will be home soon, you're welcome to take the sofa. Just try not to argue with him, alright?"

With that, she took John's cup of tea to the next room, leaving Zach standing in the kitchen. Leaving the sofa for Zach, giving him a heavy blanket, Rose sat at the desk, eyes drooping with tiredness, but she wanted to make sure Sherlock was home before she went to bed.

She didn't have long to wait until he came in, stopping in the doorway of the living room. Flatmates looking up at him, he kept his face calm and neutral as he scanned every detail of the room. Seeing the slightly different placement of several things, dust disturbed around the room, he concluded they'd suspected the worst. _At least they're prepared_, he thought, not taking any offence at their suspicion. He'd earned it long ago after all.

"I hope you didn't mess up my sock index this time." Was all he said before going up to his room, concentration in his thoughts more than the physical world around him.

Rose just sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes. "Right, I'm off to bed. Let me know if you need anything." She told them, discreetly picking up an ash trash as she took her leave so she could have a cigarette in her room before she went to sleep. Pausing in the doorway, she looked back to her doctor friend and her brother curled up on the sofa. "Merry Christmas, guys." She said with a sad smile.

John just returned the smile. "Merry Christmas, Rose."


End file.
